Co-Chairs: Andrew Shindi and Medha Gargeya
Case 1: Presbyterian Church v EEOC
Case 2: Awad v Panetta
Case 3: Giles v Oxford School District
Case 4: Warren v Madison
Guide to Supreme Court
_______________________________________________________
The Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States, commonly abbreviated as SCOTUS, is the highest and most powerful body in the American judicial system. The Supreme Court is the ultimate authority on all constitutional matters, and was initially designed to use this power to check the powers of the Executive and Legislative Branches of government. Early in its history, the Supreme Court was considered a weak and somewhat irrelevant branch of government, but after John Marshall dramatically augmented the Court’s power during his long tenure as Chief Justice in the early 1800’s, it became a very powerful and influential branch. Today, the Supreme Court’s decisions on constitutional matters are essentially permanent, as to overturn such a decision would require a constitutional amendment. As a result of this authority, the Supreme Court has had a profound influence on American politics and justice over the course of its existence, affecting (often controversial) change in areas ranging from abortion to gun control and civil rights. Supreme Court justices are appointed by the President to lifetime posts on the Court, and the current nine members of the Court are Chief Justice John Roberts, and associate justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy, Anton Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Steven Breyer. Roberts, Thomas, Scalia, and Alito are commonly considered to be the conservative members of the Court, while Bader Ginsberg, Sotomayor, Kagan, and Breyer are typically considered to be the liberal members, often leaving Justice Kennedy to be the deciding vote.
_______________________________________________________
Supreme Court at HMCE At HMCE, delegates on the Supreme Court will hear fictional cases based on historical ones and on commonly contested constitutional
issues. Delegates will alternate between the following three roles: petitioners, respondents, and justices, with petitioners and respondents independently presenting their cases to the justices. Delegates are not assigned to specific justices or political affiliations, but are instead encouraged to question the respondents and petitioners specifically on the merits of their cases and come to the most constitutionally valid decision. The role of Chief Justice is filled by an HMCE committee chair, who will ensure that the focus of discussion centers on the most pressing aspects of the case. Occasionally, the Supreme Court will also be called upon to help resolve crises such as impeachment proceedings or a war crimes trial. Delegates will improve their public speaking, research, and logic skills while gaining an in-depth understanding of the American legal system, Constitution, and the Supreme Court’s long and fascinating history.
